ST. PAUL, MN (July 7, 2012) – Despite stealing a season tying high six bases the St. Paul Saints had a potential victory stolen from them losing 8-4 to the Sioux City Explorers on Saturday night at Midway Stadium in front of 6,082.

With the game tied at four in the bottom of the ninth Ronnie Bourquin led off with a bunt single. Tanner Townsend tried to sacrifice him over, but bunted it towards the mound and reliever Chris Bodishbaugh threw out Bourquin. Tanner then stole second, but Benji Johnson flew out to right and Jon Townsend struck out to end the inning.

The Explorers capitalized in the top of the 10th as Ryan Priddy led off with a walk. Brian Bistagne then dropped down a bunt in the air, which forced Priddy to freeze, the ball dropped and pitcher Dustin Klabunde was able to throw out Priddy at second. Bistagne then gave the Saints a taste of their own medicine by stealing second. Ray Serrano walked and a wild pitch on ball four sent Bistagne to third. Mike Bisenius’ sacrifice fly scored Bistagne and Serrano took second as the Explorers took a 5-4 lead. Klabunde intentionally walked Wally Backman Jr. and then walked Peter Barrows to load the bases. Mike Murphy added a two-run single to make it 7-4 and the Explorers finished the scoring on a single by Brandon Newton.

The Saints jumped on the board in the first when Adam Frost led off with a walk, stole second and scored when Willie Cabrera’s grounder went through the legs of second baseman Mike Murphy.

With the Saints trailing 2-1 in the third Frost reached on a one out single, stole second and scored on a single by Cabrera tying the game at two.

In the fifth the Saints took a 3-2 lead when Jon Townsend singled with one out, stole second and scored on a single by Jose Hernandez.

The Explorers tied the game in the seventh on two costly Saints errors. With one out Barrows hit a sinking liner to left that Cabrera got caught between trying to catch it and letting bounce and the ball dropped in for a single and then rolled by him allowing Barrows to go to third. Then the next hitter, Mike Murphy, tried a suicide squeeze, missed the bunt, but catcher Benji Johnson’s throw to third baseman Tanner Townsend went in and out of his glove allowing the tying run to score.

The Saints regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Tanner Townsend reached on shortstop Ryan Priddy’s error, stole second and scored on Frost’s single to center.

The Saints, however, couldn’t hold on to the lead because in the top of the eighth Yusuke Inoguchi led off with a single. He moved to second on a fielding error by Frost at short. Ray Serrano knocked in a run with a single tying the game.

The Saints wasted a great pitching performance by rookie Luke Anderson, who was making just his fourth professional appearance and first ever start. He went 6.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out two.

The same two teams meet in game two of a four game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Alberto Rolon (2-3, 7.27) to the mound against Explorers RHP Ty Marotz (2-1, 7.39). It is the final day at “The Cabin,” so bring some sunscreen and catch some rays.